Proxmire Bestows `Golden Fleece`

February 17, 1986|United Press International

WASHINGTON — The Air Force spent thousands of dollars last year to furnish and maintain a luxury airliner for its officers, Sen. William Proxmire, D-Wis., said Sunday in bestowing his monthly ``Golden Fleece`` award.

The Wisconsin Democrat said the Air Force`s Strategic Air Command was ``jetting away with over $600,000 in taxpayer money`` to fly its commanders and generals in ``high style`` across the country and overseas on a converted KC-135A tanker jet.

``Talk about flying the friendly skies,`` said Proxmire, who awards his ``Golden Fleece`` each month for what he describes as wasteful uses of taxpayers` money.

A spokesman for the Strategic Air Command, Capt. Dave Thurston, said in a statement the KC-135A tanker, delivered to the command in 1959, is not a luxury craft and its crew still trains for its military role.